Fear, Doubt, and the Fight to Share God’s Truth

I never wanted to be a speaker or a writer. 

So, when God called me to it, I’ll be honest, I politely declined His offer. Bold move, I know. I was afraid of the vulnerability it required. I knew that speaking or writing could put a target on my back, but He gave me a message, and I could only ignore that calling for so long. When God gives us a message, He doesn’t give it to us to run from it or keep it locked away in fear or doubt. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

But let’s be real. Obedience isn’t always easy. The enemy will do everything in his power to silence you—through doubt, distraction, and discouragement. He’ll whisper that your voice doesn’t matter, that someone else is saying it better, that no one is listening. Don’t fall for it.

Recently, I ran an ad for my book and was met with a wave of negative comments, mostly from people angry at a God they don’t even believe in. I had forgotten that ads reach beyond the safety of like-minded followers. For a moment (or a few more than that), I considered pulling it. But then I realized that’s exactly what the enemy wanted. “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Sharing our hearts isn’t always comfortable, but you know what? It’s not the cross. A few harsh words aren’t a reason to quit. Not after all Jesus has done for me. For us.

So, I took it to ChatGPT and asked, “If you were Satan and wanted to discourage a Christian author while trying to get their message out on social media, what would you do?” 

ChatGPT said:

If I were the enemy trying to discourage a Christian author on social media, I would use tactics that attack their confidence, their message, and their motivation. Here are some ways that could happen:

• Plant Seeds of Doubt – Whisper, “No one cares about your message,” or “You’re not qualified,” making them question God’s calling.
• Create Comparison Traps – Flood their feed with other Christian authors with bigger followings, more engagement, and book deals, making them feel like they’re falling short.
• Cause Technical Issues –Glitches, disappearing posts, shadow-banning—anything to make them feel like the platform itself is against them.
• Bring Negative Feedback – Send discouraging comments, misunderstandings, or attacks from people who claim to be fellow believers.
• Increase Distractions – Life would get extra busy. Family emergencies, health issues, unexpected responsibilities—anything to keep them from sharing their message.
• Make Them Feel Invisible – Suppress their engagement so they feel like they’re speaking into a void and start believing no one is listening.
• Encourage Perfectionism – Make sure they believe every post, caption, and blog needs to be perfect, so they hesitate to publish anything at all.
• Trigger Fear of Rejection – Remind them of past failures, rejections, or harsh critiques, so they hesitate to reach out for endorsements, partnerships, or publishing opportunities.
• Distort Their Message – Make them afraid to speak boldly about their faith, tempting them to water it down for fear of offending others.
• Use Exhaustion – Make them feel so overwhelmed, physically and emotionally, that they’re too tired to write or post.

Do you identify with any of those? I identified with most of them. Oh, the evil one is a rotten apple!

God placed words in your heart, whether spoken or written, to bring light, healing, and truth to those who need it. Of course, the enemy wants you to quit.

So, write. Speak. Share. Not to please the crowd but to honor the One who called you. The world doesn’t need a watered-down version of truth or the story He’s given you. We need the message that God has placed in you, delivered in His timing, with His discernment.

You already know the enemy’s playbook! The best way to counteract these attacks is to stay rooted in prayer, stay connected to your calling, and keep moving forward even when it feels like nothing is happening— even when you feel discouraged.

Keep speaking. Keep writing. Trust that God’s words through you will accomplish exactly what He intends. 

He is for you!

Question:  Which of the enemy’s tactics (doubt, distraction, discouragement, comparison, etc.) do you struggle with most? How did you overcome that (or what will you do in the future to overcome that)?